Ampere Analyst expects Sony to react to Xbox’s Activision deal with a major acquisition of its own

[Ludwig]

And how did that work out for them?

Bethesda put out absolute trash while Microsoft was asleep at the wheel/busy trying to gobble up ABK. Halo Infinite also died.

Ghostwire tokyo was better on PS5 than series x. Redfall was an unmitigated disaster and damage the xbox brand so bad that gamepass subs stalled out. Starfield was initially forced to announce too early (November 2022) and then once they realized what a shitshow that game's state was in they had to endure the public humiliation of having to delay it by a whole year, and even after a year the game bombed miserably and scored low as fuck considering what they were expecting out of it. They were expecting that game to carry them for 5 years. Instead it's dead after a month.

While I agree that Sony should respond with acquisitions, maybe actually put a little trust into the people who can make a >90 metacritic superhero game than wilding out because Microsoft is throwing money around. Sony has proven it knows what it's doing with its acquisitions.

Playstation hasn't released a single game yet from their recent acquisitions expect a VR game.

 

[Cool hand luke]

Take 2 and EA are the obvious choices. Both of them have huge sports franchises that are extremely stable income streams. With MLB, FC/Madden, or 2k... Sony would never have to worry about being driven out of the industry.

Problem with EA is they are external licenses, so what's to stop Microsoft or someone else outbidding them? With T2, you own GTA and RDR (and Zynga).

 

[anonpuffs]

Problem with EA is they are external licenses, so what's to stop Microsoft or someone else outbidding them? With T2, you own GTA and RDR (and Zynga).

Sports leagues aren't stupid. They've played the license game before and if you give the license to the wrong people it fucks up the games real bad. EA is both proven and a known quantity, just see how EA FC continues to dominate the sales charts without the FIFA branding license. Now instead of getting whatever they had before, FIFA is shit out of luck because they tried to be greedy.

 

[SLB1904]

I have no interest in multiplat acquisitions

 

[flaccidsnake]

Sony needs to make sure they can't lose access to GTA. Other than that, any logical acquisition wouldn't be close to the scale of Activision. People are saying CDPR, Konami, Larian, I'd maybe throw From Software in there. All those would be good, but could hardly be considered a response. We need a rollout of announcements from existing Playstation Studios.

 

[Petekilla]

I don’t want Sony to acquire 3rd party studios or publishers and take established franchises away from another platform. Unlike another company that we know. What I want Sony to do, is to continue to scout and fund smaller studios. Try to find the next Insomniac.

 

[Petekilla]

Playstation hasn't released a single game yet from their recent acquisitions expect a VR game.

Because they bought most of those studios two years ago and they just finished releasing their games. Games take time, but ya’ll still don’t get this. LMAO

 

[Roxkis]

I don't think Sony needs to react to Microsoft here by buying another 3rd party studio. MS buys studios and they go to trash. The talented people leave and the ip they get flounders. Sony just need to cover gaps in their games lineup. Like a fps shooter to compete with cod.

 

[reziel]

I don’t want Sony to acquire 3rd party studios or publishers and take established franchises away from another platform. Unlike another company that we know. What I want Sony to do, is to continue to scout and fund smaller studios. Try to find the next Insomniac.

Nobody does unfortunately they'll have too eventually their competitor already did and will continue to do so. They started this fight just like how they started the exclusives and timed exclusives fiasco.

 

[Kokoloko]

2 years we're waiting. Sony is not doing shit.

Sadly I agree. They might go for a couple more small studios and think thats the right comeback

 

[Kokoloko]

We need an “Obvious” reaction.

And to all wondering why they have waited, it’s because that was the smart strategy while waiting to see if MS would be stopped by regulators. Sony buying anyone big during that time would have been leverage for MS to have an easier time.

Also, the FTC is still fighting the Activision deal.

Good points. I would of been unwise to answer during MS buying not completed

 

[Roxkis]

Nobody does unfortunately they'll have too eventually their competitor already did and will continue to do so. They started this fight just like how they started the exclusives and timed exclusives fiasco.

I think the difference is MS only has money while Sony has a little bit of money, but also has talent and a working management.

Looking at this year, buying devs is the only reason Microsoft had games to release this year outside of Forza. They also need devs to feed to the gamepass machine. No studio not getting paid would put games on gamepass other wise. Sony doesn't have that struggle, so they shouldn't need to waste the money.

 

[ksdixon]

Sports leagues aren't stupid. They've played the license game before and if you give the license to the wrong people it fucks up the games real bad. EA is both proven and a known quantity, just see how EA FC continues to dominate the sales charts without the FIFA branding license. Now instead of getting whatever they had before, FIFA is shit out of luck because they tried to be greedy.

I agree with this take, and I believe Sony should have told MLB to kick rocks and launched a PS Studios Sports label with Sony Baseball instead of cowtowing to MLB, whom then went and negotiated to put XB version on GP.

 

[KiryuRealty]

There's also the idea that since MS wasn't stopped by regulators, it gives Sony (and everyone else) an easier time going forward with their own acquisitions.

MS was temporarily stopped by the CMA and the FTC is still in opposition and will be bringing MS to Administrative Court over the merger.

It’s actually STILL risky for Sony to make any splashy moves.